The History of Breeding

The breeding of animals dates back centuries. Today it is a booming industry that is built on ethics and good practice. Breeding has been used to strengthen the linage of the animal resulting in larger, stronger animals and in the majority of cases breeding has been used for conservation purposes.

Breeding animals in a controlled environment such as on a game ranch first came to the attention of the public in the 1950’s and 1960’s but prior to breeding becoming the norm in our society, some of the oldest records of captive breeding have dated back to early Asia and Europe.

Breeding and Conservation

Game Breeding has been able to save animals from the brink of extinction. Pere David’s Deer is one of the most well-known examples of an animal that was saved from being completely wiped out. The animal is native to China and at a time the only herd in China belonged to the emperor. The deer escaped during a flood and were slaughtered by starving people and just a few years after that, the remaining 30 deer were killed by soldiers during a rebellion. However some of the deer had been taken to Europe and they were to be the animals bred to bring the species back from extinction. The animals were bred in captivity and reintroduced to their natural habit for the first time in almost a century in 1985.

Since this time, conservationists have been turning to captive breeding to save numerous species by providing them with a safe place to breed as well as by providing them with breeding partners and the ideal breeding conditions. However, breeders who are invested in captive breeding have experienced a number of challenges including genetics, changes in habitat and changes in behaviour. Inbreeding is always a likely problem and it can play havoc in the genetics of the animals. It can weaken the breed and result in the breed never being the same as it once was. Behaviour changes can result in the animal being unable to gather food for itself while loss of habitat can make it incredibly difficult to reintroduce the animal to the wild.

Game Breeders in South Africa

Game Breeders are expected to use their unique and experienced skills to ensure that the animals are bred correctly and they have the ability to raise the animals in their native habitat which gives them a better chance of surviving. The animals are unlikely to be released into the wild but they are sold onto other game farms and reserves which provide a similar habitat. In the case of rare animals these reserves will provide a safe habitat in which the animals can continue breeding.

Beyond the protection and conservation of wildlife, game breeders have a long history of providing job opportunities to the local community as well as educating people about the animals that are being bred. Local communities living near a game farm are usually far from the cities and job opportunities are few. Educating the local people about the importance of preserving the wildlife in the area has a history of giving the people a sense of ownership of the animals which makes them more inclined to protect them.

Game breeders also contribute to the infrastructure of the local community by providing housing and schools, and with an increase in tourism to the area, local game breeders are also known to give the local economy a boost by increasing sales and other revenue brought in by the traveling tourists.

There are very few other ways of protecting the natural habitat of an area than by having a game breeder’s ranch established in the region. These farmers protect the natural habitat so that their animals can thrive and this will in turn benefit the entire region as it prevents environmental destruction and pollution. As part of their long history, game breeders are known to have improve the quality of the areas in which they operate. They take care of the land, preserving it for the next generations.

The history of game breeders is steeped in nature preservation and the conservation of wildlife. At Ranch Game Breeders we breed exquisite beasts for other game farmers as well as for nature reserves. In doing so, we have created an opportunity for people to get involved in the beauty of the breeding program without having to get their hands dirty – literally. People who don’t have the experience, time and expertise to invest into their own game species can now sit back and enjoy t the income and exponential growth of their investment, with the option of coming to visit your animals at anytime. See www.theranch.co.za.

The beauty of this vision is that in time, more and more people will become invested in the concept of wildlife conservation, both financially and emotionally, creating a strong economy for the country while preserving Africa’s wildlife for the generations still to come.

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The Ranch Conservancy was established in 2008 by Tom Shearer, an avid hotelier and conservationist with a keen eye for investment potential. Tom passed these qualities down his two sons, Ryan and Paul, who have since taken their place as the 3rd generation of Shearers to uphold the family tradition for wildlife, tourism, conservation and preservation of rare and endangered species.